Scott Aldred On: Mark Melancon

It’s Mark Melancon’s turn to be talked about in our continuing series of evaluating the bullpen, so I asked pitching coach Scott Aldred his thoughts on his newest reliever.

Ashmore: I know you’ve only seen Melancon once so far, but he looked pretty impressive from where we were sitting…

Aldred: “Mark’s stuff is good, it’s just a matter of getting some reps with him. He just needs to pitch. He sinks and cuts. He’s got a power curve, and his changeup is coming along nice.

Ashmore: What is the plan for using him?

Aldred: “He’s going to get his rest, we’re not going to use him on back to back days, especially off of the arm thing. But we’ll use him when he’s available.”

Ashmore: Everyone talks about his curveball. What would you say is it about that pitch that makes it so successful for him?

Aldred: “He’s got a nice hard curveball. It’s 80-81 miles per hour, and when you can throw a curveball at that speed, that’s where some guys throw their sliders at. His is a true curveball, and it’s pretty good.”

Ashmore: He’s got a really unique pitching motion, there’s sort of a catapult-like effect to it. Is that the result of the surgery, or…

Aldred: “No, not at all. That’s his arm stroke, he’s come with that since he was probably 12 years old. He’s got long arms, and he uses them. Pitching is leverage, and he’s got leverage.”